Method and means of destination sorting of rail passengers

ABSTRACT

METHOD AND MEANS OF DESTINATION SORTING PASSENGERS AT A SUBURBAN PARKING AREA FOR RAPID TRANSIT TO DOWNTOWN SUBWAY STATIONS. HYDRAULIC TOTALIZING COUNTING MEANS ACTIVATING A BANK SIGNALS RESPONSIVE TO NUMBER OF PASSENGERS AND REMAINING TRAIN SPACE, BEING PLACED AT PARKING BAY ENTRANCES AND ADJACENT DEPARTURE PLATFORMS. TOTALIZING BY TURNSTILES BEFORE PASSENGERS REACH PLATFORMS. LOOP RAIL LINE CONFIGURATION, CARS COUPLED AND UNCOUPLED AT SPEED PROVIDING NONSTOP TRANSIT OF SORTED PASSENGERS TO PARTICULAR DESTINATIONS WITH ONLY ONE TRAIN.

United States Patent [72] Inventor Ernest E. Bissett 3616 OntarioStreet, Vancouver 10, British Columbia, Canada [21] Appl. No. 830,461[22] Filed June 4, I969 {45] Patented June 28, 1971 [54] METHOD ANDMEANS OF DESTINATION SORTING 0F RAIL PASSENGERS 10 Claims, 6 DrawingFigs.

[52] US. Cl 104/27, 104/1, 104/28 [5 1] Int. Cl B61!) 1/00 [50] Field ofSearch 104/18, 19. 20, 27, 28

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 828,340 8/1906 Rice 104/201,353,423 9/1920 Samuelsonetalm 3,037,462 6/1962 Barry...

Primary Examiner-Arthur L. La Point Assislant Examiner-D. W KeenAttorney-Lyle G. Trorey ABSTRACT: Method and means of destinationsorting of passengers at a suburban parking area for rapid transit todowntown subway stations. Hydraulic totalizing counting means activatinga bank of signals responsive to number of passengers and remaining trainspace, being placed at parking bay entrances and adjacent departureplatforms. Totalizing by turnstiles before passengers reach platforms.Loop rail line configuration, cars coupled and uncoupled at speedproviding nonstop transit of sorted passengers to particulardestinations with only one train.

PATENTED JUN28 1971 SHEET 1 [1F 4 Ernest E. Bissctt,

Ly 1.0 G. L'OFGY Agent METHOD AND MEANS OF DESTINATION SORTING OF RAILPASSENGERS FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to amethod and means of materials handling, being adapted for rapid movementof people to and from congested urban centers BACKGROUND OF THEINVENTION In major population centers there is a traffic congestionproblem, due in-major part to a large and increasing number of privateautomobiles each often carrying but one person. As a result trafficcongestion, both within the center and upon highways and freeways uponwhich these automobiles travel to and from the center, is such as(according to some authorities) to threaten the very existence of majorcities.

Attempts have been made to improve matters by construction of systems offreeways. The cost per passenger mile of such systems is high, right ofway requirement takes much land, and can grossly depreciate urbanproperty values and create slums. It is admitted by many authoritiesand, indeed scarcely is open to serious doubt, that such systems aremere placebos having, at best, but short-term benefit at a true directand indirect cost which is so high that it is a matter of difficultyeven to estimate. Experience of some cities, notably San Francisco, andthe opinion of many authorities, indicate solution lies in improvedpublic transportation. Dr. Peter Goldberg in a special lecture given atSimon Fraser University (Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada) in Feb. 1969(as reported) warned that cities face a disastrous future, stating thattheir mushroom growth provides frightening data. .Ian. 9, I967 Newsweekhas, at page 43, an article The Agony of Getting Anywhere in whichSenator Clairborne Pell is quoted as saying that our society is fastbecoming immobile-a statement which scarcely will be questioned byinformed students of urban vehicular traffic. The article reportsexamples of the problem above, and steps being taken to improve publictransportation.

I have devised a method, and means employing the method, which reducestravelling time, is economical in right of way demand per passengermiles, and reduces true direct and in direct cost.

OUTLINE OF THE INVENTION The method provides sorting of passengers intobays of a suburban parking lot, each bay containing vehicles passengersof which are for a particular downtown destination. Transit is by train,and passengers leaving a parking bay proceed to a departure platform ofa loop line, and in doing so pass a turnstile. The turnstile, as itturns, keeps a running total of the number of passengers.

Positive displacement hydraulic means operatively connected to theturnstile activate a hydraulic accumulator, a piston rod of which isurged outwards by a discrete amount at each rotation of the turnstile.The piston rod carries an electrical contact cooperating with acommutator rod, conducting segments of which successively energizesignals of a signal bank.

A turnstile, hence a signal bank, is provided for each departuredestination. At least one signal bank is placed near a vehicularentrance of each bay, the bank being associated with a platform adjacentan exit gate of the baywith a duplicate bank near the platform. Thus thevehicles select a required bay, and the passengers in proceeding to theplatform activate the signals, sorting and counting themselves, withtotalizing to activate a signal, usually a red light, as that totalapproaches destination capacity.

The loop extends around a periphery of the parking area, and continuesto a second loop of downtown subway stations, the line returning to theparking area in a generally hourglass shape-hereinafter a loopconfiguration.

A train is considered as having at least two cars, with coupling meansadapted for coupling and uncoupling both at rest and while in travellingat speed. With sorted passengers in a last car of a two-car train beingdestined for a first-reached downtown station, as that station isapproached the last car is uncoupled and stops for unloading andloading-the first car continuing on at unreduced speed.

The last car then accelerates to overtake and recouple to the first car.Thus both destinations are reached nonstop with material saving intravelling time. The method is, as can be seen, capable of extension tocarrying destination-sorted passengers nonstop to plurality ofdestinations.

Exemplification of method and means is given below illustrated bydrawings, it being understood that the invention is capable ofexpression in method and by means other than those particularlydescribed. 7

FIG. I is a generalized representation of an endless loop configuration,and ancillary structure, according to the present invention,

FIG. 2, at larger scale, is a plan view showing destinationsortingwaiting rooms and parking bays,

FIG. 3, at still larger scale, shows sorting waiting rooms,

FIG. 4 shows turnstiles and counting means,

FIG. 5 is a diagram of signal bank electrical connection,

FIG. 5-A is a three-signal bank.

PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Description of FIG. 1

FIG. 1 is a generalized representation of an endless loop configuration,and ancillary facilities, according to the present invention.

A suburban terminal generally 10 has access from a highway 11 via anentrance service road 12 (having nonparking space provision at 12.1) toa parking area 13 through a grade separation 14. A second gradeseparation 15 provides access to an exit service road 16 joining thehighway. Flow of traffic is indicated by unreferenced arrows.

A suburban terminal loop rail line 17 extends peripherally around theparking area, the parking area having preset time departure parking bays18 through 22, each bay having associated therewith a departure andarrival platform, or station, 18.1 through 22.1 respectively. A downtowndistrict is designated 23, having subway stations 24 to 28 as shown,with a loop subway line 29 running between the stations and ends of theloop joining'a main line 30. The main line extends to ends of thesuburban terminal loop 17 as shown.

The line 17 of the suburban terminal has been called a loop, and theline 29 is also called a loop. The generally circular configuration ofthe loop 17 as shown provides good land utilization, where topographyand land availability permit. The loop can have such other shape as maybe dictated by circumstances, and can indeed be a straight line.Similarly, as is well known, population density, and economicconsiderations generally, determine siting and spacing of the downtownsubway stations 24-28. In turn, this determines the shape of the loop29. The line 30 extending from the suburban terminal to the urban areais shown as being double tracked, this connection can, where trafficdensity permits, obviously be single track with passing facilities.Terms such as loop, loop configuration, and endless loop, andhereinafter used in a meaning which includes all possibilities outlinedabove and equivalents thereto.

Description of FIG. 2

A two-car train section is designated 31, 32, the cars beinginterconnected by releasable coupling means later described. Numerals33, 34, designate unconnected cars. Vehicular entrance to the bay 19 isthrough a vehicle access gate 35, entrance to the bay 20 being through asimilar gate 36, each bay having an access gate. The bay 19 is providedwith pedestrian exit and entrance gates 37 and 37.1 respectively, andthe bay 20 has similar pedestrian gates 38, 38.1, as do the remainingparking bays. A ticket sales booth 39 is shown adjacent the pedestriangate 37 of the bay 19. The booth is movable so that it can. forinstance, be placed as shown in broken outline at 40 adjacent pedestriangate 38 of the parking bay 20.

Each departure and arrival platform has a plurality of waiting rooms. InFIG. 2, waiting rooms of the platform 19.1 are designated 41, 42, 43,and 44. Access to each waiting room is through an access turnstile, theturnstile of waiting room 41 being designated 41.1. Each waiting roomhas an access turnstile, remaining turnstiles being designatedrespectively 42.1, 43.1, 44.1.

The waiting rooms above are on a side of the platform adjacent a parkingbay, opposite each waiting room aforesaid is a further waiting room, thefurther opposite waiting rooms being particularly for passengersarriving by bus, and by nonparking vehicles. The said opposite waitingrooms are shown in FIG. 2 with the waiting room opposite 41 beingdesignated 41-L and having a turnstile designated 41.1-L, nonparkingvehicles loading and unloading at 12.1.

The waiting rooms are for passengers to particular downtown designationsnamely a subway station aforesaid, for instance passengers for thedestination station 26 use waiting rooms 41 and 41-L, those fordestination 25 use waiting room 42, and so on. The number of waitingrooms (counting a waiting room and its opposite waiting room as one) canbe equal to, greater than, or less than, the number of downtowndestinations. Further, the arrangement is flexible and can be altered inaccordance with daily, or even hourly, requirements. For instance, ifthe tube station 25 is central to a factory district, a peak earlymorning load could require several waiting rooms, with but fewpassengers departing for other destinations at this time. 45 designatesa passenger-sorting concourse.

Description of FIGS. 4, 5, S-A, with reference to FIGS. 2 and 3 FIG. 4shows hydraulic counting means activated by the turnstiles.

Turnstiles 43.1 and 43.1-L of the waiting rooms 43 and 43-L are shown inFIG. 4. A positive displacement hydraulic pump 51 is operativelyconnected to an accumulator cylinder 52 having a piston 53 and a pistonrod 54, the pump being supplied from a tank as later explained. Ahydraulic line 51.1 extends from the pump 51 to the cylinder 52, with ahydraulic line 51.1-L extending from a pump 51-1.. of the turnstile43.1-L to the said cylinder as shown. Each time a turnstile is rotatedby a passenger entering the waiting room, the piston rod 54 is urged adiscrete distance, outward, thus total outward extension of the pistonrod is proportional to total number of passengers who have entered thesetwo waiting rooms.

A contact 55 is secured to an outer end of the piston rod 54. Referringnow to FIG. 5, the contact is in sliding electrical connection with acommutator rod 57 having conducting segments 57.1 through 57.4 spaced byinsulating segments as shown. A bank of signals 58 has individualelectrically activated signal means 58. 1 through 58.4 and a similarbank 59 has individual signals 59.1 through 59.4. The individual signalmeans 58.1-59.1, 58.2-59.2, and so on, are lights and are connected inparallel to a common return' to a terminal 60 of an electrical supplysource (not shown), a second terminal 61 of the supply source beingconnected to the contact 55. With the piston rod 54 in the positionshown in FIG. 5, the contact 55 is connected to the commutator segment57.3, thus the lights 58.3 and 59.3 are activated. As laterparticularized, an additional signal light bank is connected in parallelwith the banks 58 and 59 as indicated in FIG. 5, lights in the samecircuit as 58.3 and 59.3 are activated therewith.

Referring now to FIG. 4, a discharge valve 62 is provided at a lower endof the cylinder 52 so that, when the valve is opened, hydraulic fluiddischarges from the cylinder and enters a supply tank 63. Hydrauliclines 64 extend from the supply tank to the positive displacementhydraulic pumps 51 and 51-L. Compression spring means 65 are provided sothat when the valve 62 is opened the piston is urged downward fully toretract the piston rod. The valve 62 can be a solenoid valve remotelycontrolled through a two conductor line 67 by a switch S-l ofa controlpanel 68 at a central remote location.

Each turnstile a pair has hydraulic and electrical connections as FIGS.4 and 5, and electrical connections to additional signal banks as laterdescribed.

Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3 the waiting room pair 43, 43-L, has signalbanks as follows: the bank 58 adjacent the turnstile 43.1, the bank 59adjacent the turnstile 43.1-L, and a bank 69 visible from the gate 35.As shown in FIG. 5 each bank has four lights, 58.1, 58.2, 58.3, 58.4 ofthe bank 58; 59.1-59.4 of the bank 59; the bank 69 also having fourlights. When the piston rod 54 is fully retracted, as when the valve 62has been opened with departure of a section, lights 58.4, 59.4, and acorresponding light of a bank 69, are all on being in the same circuitand all being energized when the contact 55 is in electrical connectionwith the commutator segment 57.4. These lights remain on until enteringpassengers have turned the turnstiles a sufficient number of times tocause the contact 55 to have passed the commutator segment 57.4, whenthe lights go off. As drawn the light 58.4 and all lights in the samecircuit go on before the 59.3 light, and associated lights, go off, aslater is explained. This is deliberate having certain advantages.

The light 58.4 and all lights in the same circuit are green, the light58.3 and lights in the same circuit are blue, lights in the circuit of58.2 are amber, and those ofthe 58.1 circuit red. The contact 55 has adepth measured parallel to the piston rod designated D in FIG. 5 only,and each commutator segment is spaced by an insulating segment. Theinsulating segment spacing the commutator segments 57.1 and 57.2 isdesignated 70 in FIG. 5 only, and has a depth d as shown. With D greaterthan d by an amount equal to the piston motion resulting from, say, 10passengers entering, then the amber light has a ten passenger delay sothat both signal means remain energized during outward extension of thepiston rod for a distance equal to the excess aforesaid, which distanceis equal to the sum of the number of times the rod is urged outwards bydiscrete distances to total the said excess. The segment 57.1 is shownmuch shorter than the segment 57.2, 57.3, 57.4 (but of depth greaterthan D) so that when the amber goes off-the red being on-the numberpassengers in the waiting room is equal to departure capacity includingstanding room.

By varying the depth of the insulating segments and the depth of theconducting segments, particular colors can be made to indicate remainingpassenger space.

A four-light bank has been described and illustrated. Good control canbe effected by a three-light bank-green amber red-with such delay as isdeemed to be desirable. At least one signal means responsive to numberof passengers and related to car capacity is required, the responseindicating availability of passenger space. A three-light signal bank isshown in FIG. S-A designated 58-A and having lights 58.1-A, 58.2-A,58.3-A. The four conducting segment commutator 57 can be used with thelower segments 57.3 and 57.4 bridged as shown in broken outline at CFIG. 5.

Manual override control of all the signal banks above is provided by aswitch S-2 of the control panel 68, as shown in FIG. 5 only. If, asdeparture time approaches, there are fewer passengers in a waiting roomthan required to activate the red signal, switch S-2 is opened (or S-2can be a time switch) a short time before departure-the short time beingsufficient for loading of tardy passengers.

Illuminated signs can be substituted for the colored lights the signsthemselves conveying suitable information and, if desired, displayingthe information in colored characters. These and other equivalent meansto display information related to available passenger space can be usedin substitution for the particular means herein described andillustrated.

Each remaining waiting room pair 41, 41-L; 42, 42-1., 44, 44-Lassociated with the bay 19 has signal banks as described for the pair43, 43-L. These are shown at 69, 82, 83, 84 visible from the gate 35 ofthe parking bay 19; 85, 86, 87 associated respectively with the waitingrooms 44, 43, 42, 41; and 88, 89, 90, and 59 associated with therespective opposite waiting rooms.

Each parking bay and its associated waiting rooms have signal lightbanks as described with reference to those associated with the bay 19.Each separate bank designates a particular waiting room (pair) asexplained, the waiting room being for a particular destination, the bankbeing clearly marked e.g. as indicated in FIG. 5 only, the bank 59having an illuminated sign 91 marked 24, indicating destination 24departures.

Alternative Signal Bank Arrangement As above described, each parking bayhas signal banks visible from its entrance gate and referring only tothe platforms opposite its exit gate. That is to say as shown in FIG. 2the bay 19 has only the banks 69, 82, 83, 84 associated with the waitingrooms 41 through 44. Additionalsignal banks associated with waitingrooms of the adjacent bay 20, or of the adjacent bay 18, or of both, canbe provided for the bay 19. As well, each said adjacent bay can itselfhave signal banks of its adjacent bays. 'ln this way more flexibleutilization of parking area can be effected with but little additionalwalking distance on the passenger-sorting concourse being required. Themethod and structure require that each parking bay have a signal of atleast immediately adjacent waiting rooms.

OPERATION I form. He also knows that there will be space in this trainor car so that he can board it, individual lights being constructed andarranged, and having delay, to effect the foregoing.

After parking he walks a relatively short distance through the exit gate37 past the sales booth 39 where, if necessary, he can buy tokens. He isnow on the sorting concourse 45 and, by reference to signal banks suchas 58 provided for each waiting room, he can tell which waiting room toenter in order to reach his destination. For instance, if he wishes totravel to destination 24 FIG. 1 he enters waiting room 43. Car 32 willeither be at the platform or will next arrive. He then enters car 32with the assurance that there will be space available in the car. Heenters the car through an entrance designated 71. FIG. 3, and it is tobe noted that passengers leaving the car disembark through different carexits 71.1. Thus passengers enter and leave the car without mutualinterference.

For bus passengers and passengers from nonparking vehicles, theprocedure is similar and, therefore, is not described in detail. It isto be noted however drivers of these vehicles know where to stop becausethe signals 59, 88, 89, 90 FIG. 2 are visible from the nonparking space12.] provided for loading and unloading.

Car Coupling Means The method and means above described provide thatautomobiles are parked, and that passengers are sorted and loadedaccording to destination. Thus a particular car has passengers only forone destinationit being understood however that some circumstances mightmake it desirable for a particular car to contain passengers destinedfor adjacent statrons.

So that individual cars and sections can be controlled to reach therequired destination substantially nonstop, it is important that thecars be provided with coupling means such that they can be connected anddisconnected both while stationary and while in motion. A rail carcoupling particularly adapted to effect the foregoing is described in aU.S. Pat. issued to the present inventor June 17, 1969 in a Rail CarCoupling, No. 3,450,271. While this coupling is particularly adapted forthe present purpose, other couplings can be used. Any coupling meansproviding ready coupling and uncoupling between cars at rest or inmotion can be substituted.

Referring to FIG. 1, consider a train of two or more sections travellingin an endless loop system as there illustrated, travel being in adirection indicated by arrows 93. In FIG. 3 the cars 32, 33, and 34 arecoupled forming a train 94, car 32 is destined for the urban areastation 24. Upon approaching that destination car 32 is uncoupled,decelerates, and stops at the subway station 24 for unloading andloading. Unloading and loading being completed, car 32 accelerates to aspeed greater than that of car 33, and continues at that speed. Uponreaching car 33 it recouples. It will be seen that, depending upon thespacing between the adjacent stations 24 and 25 and speeds, this couldbe designed to be reached just after car 33 has pulled out from station25 and reached its normal speed. It will be evident to those skilled inthe art that, considering any single car, with optimum conditions it canbe nonstop from the suburban terminal to the destination.

lclaim:

l. A method of sorting passengers according to particular destinationprior to dispatch by train, the method. including steps of;

a. providing a suburban parking area for passenger-carrying vehicles,the parking area having departure bays each bay being for passengers forone particular urban destination,

b. providing a loop line with a departure and arrival platformassociated with each departure bay, the platform being for passengersfor the particular destination, with the passengers for that destinationproceeding from the bay to the associated platform,

0. providing at least one signal for each bay, the signal beingresponsive to number of passengers proceeding as aforesaid to theassociated platform, the signal being related to train capacity so as toindicate availability of train space,

constructed and arranged for a vehicle to enter a bay the signal ofwhich indicates availability of space, so that passengers disembarkingfrom the vehicles entering the bay aforesaid, and proceeding to theassociated platform, are sorted according to the particular destination,and in proceeding to the platform activate the signal to respond asaforesaid.

2. A method according to claim 1, the sorted passengers being dispatchedby a train having at least a first car and a last car, each car beingdestined for one particular urban destination station, and

d. providing loop configuration including the loop line aforesaid, theloop configuration being continuous and having a line extending betweenthe urban stations,

e. loading the sorted passengers into the cars of the train, the loadingbeing according to destination, with the last car being loaded withpassengers sorted for a firstreached urban destination, the first carbeing loaded with passengers sorted for a subsequently reached urbandestination,

f. coupling the cars of the train and causing the coupled cars toproceed at a normal speed towards the destinations,

g. when the first urban destination is being approached, un-

coupling the last car, causing it to decelerate, to stop at the station,and to unload, with the first car continuing at undiminished normalspeed,

h. then causing the last car to proceed accelerating to a speed inexcess of normal so as to overtake the first car and recouple, therecoupled train proceeding at normal speed to the subsequently reacheddestination.

3. Structure and apparatus for sorting passengers according toparticular destination, including in combination:

a. vehicle-parking means including a parking area having parking bays,each bay being for passengers for one particular urban destination,

b. a loop line, the loop line having a train departure and arrivalplatform associated with each departure bay, the platform being forpassengers for one destination,

c. at least one turnstile-activated signal means being provided for eachbay, the signal means being responsive to number of passengers andrelated to train capacity, so as to indicate availability of trainspace, being adapted for a vehicle to enter a bay the signal of whichindicates availability of space, and adapted for passengers disembarkingfrom the bay aforesaid and proceeding to the platform pass through theturnstile and activate the signal to respond as aforesaid.

4. Passenger sorting structure and apparatus as set forth in claim 3,wherein the signal response is effected by a combination of meansincluding the following:

1. a turnstile (43.1) turned by each passenger proceeding to theplatform,

2. a positive displacement hydraulic pump (51) operatively connectedwith the turnstile,

3. an accumulator cylinder (52) having a piston (53) and a piston rod(54) the cylinder being operatively connected to the positivedisplacement pump by a hydraulic line (51.1), adapted so that at eachrotation of the turnstile the piston rod is urged outwards by a discretedistance,

4. a contact (55) secured to an outer end of the piston rod, the contactbeing in sliding electrical connection with a commutator rod (57) havingat least one conducting segment (e.g. 57.3),

5. a signal means (58.3) electrically connected to the seg ment so thatthe signal is energized when the contact is electrically connected tothe conducting segment.

5. Passenger-sorting structure and apparatus as set forth in claim 4 anda discharge valve (62) at a lower end of the cylinder for discharge offluid in the cylinder so as to retract the rod, the valve being asolenoid valve adapted for remote control.

6. Passenger-sorting structure and apparatus as set forth in claim 5,and compression spring means effecting positive retraction of the rodwith discharge of fluid as aforesaid.

7. Passenger-sorting structure and apparatus as set forth in claim 5,the commutator having at least two conducting segments spaced by aninsulating segment with a signal means as aforesaid electricallyconnected to each conducting segment; the contact (55) having a depth(D) in excess of that ofthe insulating segment (d) so that both signalmeans remain energized during outward extension of the piston rod for adistance equal to the excess aforesaid, which distance is equal to thesum of the number of times the rod is urged outwards by discretedistances to total the said excess.

8. Passenger-sorting structure and apparatus as set forth in claim 4,and remote manual override means to energize the signal means at will.

9. Passenger-sorting structure and apparatus as set forth in claim 7,and remote override means to energize at least one signal at will.

10. Passenger-sorting structure and apparatus as set forth in claim 9,the commutator having a plurality of segments, and a signal bank havingan equal plurality of signals, with each signal being connected asaforesaid to one of the plurality of segments.

